


Who listens to the one with listening equipment?

by Rihnoswirl



Category: Girls und Panzer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27064207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rihnoswirl/pseuds/Rihnoswirl
Summary: An unlucky bartender is stuck listening to a college-aged Alisa talking about her issues. Based on an idea by The ShadowAuthor.
Kudos: 5





	Who listens to the one with listening equipment?

Hideki Endo had only gotten on his shift half-an-hour ago, and now he stood behind the bar wiping down some of the freshly washed glasses. The bar was thankfully mostly quiet, it was a Tuesday after all. A few patrons were spread throughout the room, drinking and talking as one does in a bar. But the problem for tonight was right before him. On the opposite side of the bar sat a young girl in her early twenties with short brown hair held up in two ponytails, with a bottle of wine next to her, which got more and more empty every time Hideki looked.

Usually, this would pose no problem. Hideki had been on duty on many of the wilder party nights in the city, when college students of all sorts terrorized every bar and pub in town. He was used to the loud and arrogant party girl-type. But this girl was different. Matsuyo who tended the bar before Hideki arrived had told him she'd come in, ordered the bottle, and then just sat there in silence. There was no call for shots, no tequila being poured, no high-pitched partying or flirting with the male patrons. She just sat there looking gloomy. Which was fine of course. Some people just wanted to go drinking to drown their sorrows. Hideki himself had had nights like that in his youth.

The problem was the sighing. After the girl let out a fourth deep melancholic sigh in the span of 15 minutes, Hideki had had enough.

"Alright, I'll bite. What's the matter, kiddo?" He said without looking away from his task.

"Huh?" The girl looked up. "What do you mean?" She did her best impression of a happy person, but her best was not very good.

"What's your problem?" He repeated. "You've been sitting here sighing and staring at yourself in the mirror for quite a while. So either you're doing a ghastly performance as Narcissus, or you're unhappy." The near-empty bottle was another clue, but Hideki decided to not mention that.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm sorry I bothered you." The girl looked down at her hands as she fiddled with the wine glass.

"No, it's definitely not nothing. Nothing is handled with a cocktail or maybe some shots, not an entire bottle of wine, Missy." At this point Hideki was getting even more annoyed with the refusal to open up than he had ever been with the sighing.

"It's...oh, nevermind. You don't care anyways."

"You're right." The girl looked up in confusion. "I don't care. No bartender cares when they listen to a million issues. But we do have patience, and it's often good to talk about what bothers you, whether the person listening cares or not." Hideki put down the newly cleaned glass he'd been working on and looked the girl straight in the eye. "So, and this is the last time I'm giving you the offer: What's. The. Matter. Kiddo?"

"My life's just started, and I've already screwed it all up."

"Sounds like a lot of young-uns to me."

"No, like: I could have been so much happier if I'd just done things differently."

"That's true for all of us Missy." The girl looked at him with some annoyance.

"You know, I always thought you bartenders were supposed to be supportive and understanding."

"If you want support and understanding, start seeing a therapist. I'm just calling it like I see it."

The girl sighed and looked away with a pout. Still, she continued on with her story. It was nothing unusual, but Hideki didn't call her on it. He got her talking, and that was the important part. She regretted not asking out a guy she was in love with back in high school, and had fixated on him for years. Now he was getting married, her friends were all in stable and loving relationships, and she was alone. A sad story to be sure, but not original. Still, Hideki kept listening and offering input as the moon made its way across the night sky.

"Look kiddo, I'm sorry," he interrupted. "But it's getting early, and it's time to close the doors and turn off the líghts. So I suggest you go home and get some sleep."

"Oh, right," the girl laughed. Her mood had improved quite a bit since she began her tale. "Sorry for making you listen to me all night."

"No matter. As I said, I may not care, but I do listen." The girl leaned forwards a bit and squinted at him, before leaving a sizeable tip on the counter and began to get ready to leave. "Hey, uhm… Hideki, is it a problem if I come back here? You are a really good listener, and this helped me get a lot off my chest."

"As long as you pay and drink something, I don't mind in the slightest. But do me a favor and try talking with your friends about this as well?"

"I will," she said as she began walking out the door. "I know you don't care, but I'm Alisa by the way. Thanks again for tonight Hideki. Good night"

"G'night Alisa," he said and waved absentmindedly as he started to mop the floor. "Fascinating girl that," he thought to himself.


End file.
